Music is a powerful thing. Not only is it an expression of art, it communicates deep feelings in a way that can immediately reach people from all walks of life. Personal tastes can vary hugely, but there are some forms of music that have measurable effects on our physiology. The links as to why music has such a huge effect on us are still being studied, but one possible explanation is the entrainment of our heart rate to an external beat. When we listen to a rhythmic sound, our heart rate adjusts, up or down, to match the rhythm. Why this happens is still a mystery, but it could have its roots in the connection between the infant and mother’s heart rates. A baby’s heart rate matches the rhythm of the mother’s heart rate, not in frequency, but in pattern. Perhaps we are immersed in a beat from our earliest days and music that echos this comforting rhythm triggers the part of us that is still that tiny babe.

A piece of music that seems to instantly wrap me in a blanket of peace is the Vajrasattva Matra by Dechen Shak-Dagsay. Enjoy!